Sunday, 29 July 2012

At the start of this month, I introduced a new concept called Monthly Miniatures based on the idea of a subscription sample box service. For July, I reviewed miniature versions of products including Benefit Porefessional, Miller Harris Le Pamplemousse Eau De Parfum and REN Jojoba Micro Bead Invigorating Facial Polish and have just uploaded a video with my review. Click here to watch.

Sunday, 22 July 2012

I'm fascinated by beauty brands from around the world and find it interesting to hear about the different products and rituals which women in different countries use. With this in mind, I was keen to try Terre d'Oc Beaute du Monde Indian Radiant Face Serum.

The Terre d'Oc range takes inspiration from the best beauty secrets, rituals and traditions of women around the world and uses it in a natural product line-up. The range is divided into sub-ranges, each based on a different country and includes Bali, Japan and Morocco to name just a few. I've recently been using the Terre d'Oc Indian Radiant Face Serum which has been designed to feed skin with an antioxidant, Omega-3 and vitamin rich blend of Pomegranate, Hibiscus and Pink Peppercorn extracts.

Terre d'Oc Indian Radiant Face Serum is presented in a red cardboard box which hints at the exotic influences behind the product but which doesn't feel particularly luxurious. On opening. there's information printed on the inside of the box which can be opened up to reveal a magazine style editorial with information about Indian rituals and traditions. This might not appeal to everyone but I liked it and felt that it communicated the brand message effectively. The bottle itself has a functional pump dispenser and I was impressed that it delivers the perfect amount of product to cover the face and neck in just one pump to avoid wastage.
Before trying Indian Radiant Face Serum, I was worried that it would have a sickly sweet scent but I was proven wrong. On first impressions, the scent is very pleasant and fruity and it reminded me of the REN Radiant range. However, as the scent develops as it warms on the skin, it takes on a musty "incense-like" fragrance which I found rather overpowering and this is one of the main factors which would put me off repurchasing, although of course, fragrance is very personal. Having said this, I couldn't notice the scent once the serum had dried.
The formula is lightweight and easily absorbed. A little goes a long way and the bottle lasted me approximately 2 months. Whilst I didn't fall in love with Indian Radiant Face Serum (mainly due to the scent), I have to admit that it delivered on its promises. My skin was left feeling smooth, nourished and glowing. I was particularly impressed with these results given that the changable weather we've been having here in the UK would normally play havoc with my skin.
Although I found the product to be effective and liked that it contains high quality natural ingredients, I was nonetheless surprised to discover the price. At £32.95 for 30ml, it's more than double the price I was expecting and compared with similar brands, I'm not convinced that I could justify a repurchase even if I had been wowed.

Tuesday, 17 July 2012

A lot of people within the online beauty community rave about Philosophy's Purity One-Step Facial Cleanser so when I was sent a sample, I was excited to try it out. Admittedly, it's not the sort of product which I would normally choose myself. I cleanse with a face wash in the mornings for the sake of convenience but I usually select natural or spa brands.
As with all Philosophy products, the packaging is fun and something which I'm more than happy to have on display in my bathroom. In terms of functionality, I like that the bottle is transparent so that it's easy to tell how much product is remaining and I found the flip top dispenser worked well.

It's when I came to use Purity One-Step Facial Cleanser itself that disappointment set in. So many people have raved about the scent that I was expecting something indulgent and akin to my usual spa brand choices. Therefore, I was more than a little disappointed to discover that the product has a fragrance which is reminiscent of citronella insect repellant- a scent which I've never enjoyed! It turns out that the scent is the result of the essential oil ingredients as the product itself claims to be fragrance-free. The formula of the face wash is a gel-cream which made application quick and easy. There was a gentle lather and it was easy to rinse off. The overall feel of this product is very synthetic and a quick glance at the ingredients showed that it's full of the "nasties" which I usually try to avoid. Given this, I felt the name and the fact that the first line of the wording which makes up the design of the packaging reads, "Purity is Natural" to be rather misleading.
Having said this, my skin was left feeling clean, soft and not dry or tight. I was impressed that it didn't irritate my sensitive skin and overall, I have to admit that it does do the job, it's just that I simply didn't enjoy using Purity One-Step Facial Cleanser. Furthermore, at £17.50 for 240ml, I feel that it's overpriced and you'd be better off spending you money at a brand such as REN.

Monday, 16 July 2012

That most British of High Street institutions, Marks & Spencer has recently rejuvenated its beauty offering with a collection of desirable brands including the likes of Philip Kingsley, NUXE, Murad, Skyn Iceland and Leighton Denny now available. However, I've been impressed with the M&S own brand beauty for some time and today's review is of the Age Repair Night Cream from the affordable yet results driven Formula line.
Specially formulated to target the skin concerns of those aged 40+ e.g. fine lines and wrinkles, I passed Formula Age Repair Night Cream onto a friend to try as at 28, I'm not yet in the target group for this product. Here are her thoughts:

When I was first given the product to try, I was intrigued as I hadn't heard of the Formula range before. Upon closer inspection of the packaging, I noticed that it was an M&S brand which I was surprised to discover. The packaging is classy and felt pricer than I'd expect of an M&S beauty product. The directions were clear and simple- massage in gently in upward circles- practically foolproof! As I try to avoid "nasties" in my beauty regime, I was pleased to note that this is free from parabens.
One of the things I liked most was the texture of the product which is sufficiently thick to feel luxurious but not so rich that it became difficult to apply. I don't tend to like products with strong scents, particularly ones you use at night, so I appreciated the neutral scent of Formula Age Repair Night Cream. I really enjoyed using this- it's a very pleasant night cream, however, I wouldn't say that it's the most results driven product I've tried so if you want to see a visible difference in a short space of time, this may not be the best choice for you. The main difference I've noticed has been to the texture and feel of my skin which is softer than it's been in a long time! If I didn't know that the cream was from M&S, I'd say it's worth around £35 to £40 and even now that I know, I'd still be willing to spend approximately £20 on it. With this in mind, I was amazed to discover that it's just £9.50 for 50ml and would definitely recommend it as a good value for money option.

Tuesday, 3 July 2012

Starting today, with a preliminary plan to run for the next 6 months, I'm going to be running a new monthly piece called Monthly Miniatures. To find out more, please click here to watch a video explanation.